The
ConTexT
for
Cannabis
This summer, Canada’s federal government passed
legislation to legalize cannabis (a.k.a. marijuana). Begin-
ning October 17, the recreational drug will be legally
accessible across the country. The move is ushering in
sweeping changes—particularly for motorists. Here’s
what you need to know.
What’s in the law?
Ottawa’s cannabis legislation has two pieces. Bill C-45
legalizes cannabis for recreational use and sets strict
limits on who can sell, produce and possess it. Bill C-46
creates a new set of criminal offences related to driving
under the influence of cannabis and other drugs.
How will cannabis be produced and sold?
The federal government is dictating what the big picture
looks like: who gets to grow cannabis at commercial
scale (only federally licensed producers); how it’s
marketed (never in a way that might appeal to minors);
and how to go about penalizing people who violate the
new rules (severely, with prison terms up to 14 years for
selling cannabis to minors). But other matters have been
left up to the provinces and municipalities. Notably,
these include issues surrounding traffic safety and
enforcement when it comes to drug-impaired driving. »
AMA InsIder
Fall 2018
29